For the past decade, the people of Northern Ireland have managed to put behind them decades of sectarian and political hatred and violence.
Since the signing of the Good Friday Accord between all Northern Irish parties and the governments of London and Dublin, Loyalist and Republican politicians have managed to share power, building the stable foundations in the province for economic recovery, bettering the lives of all residents in the six counties.
There can be no going back to the dark decades of bombings, shootings and political violence.
Families can sleep safe in their beds without fearing the knock on the door in the middle of the night; children can play in the streets, safe from knowing that the nearest car may explode; and police can walk their beat, without fear of a sniper's bullet ripping through them.
Sadly, there are a disillusioned few who believe that the Irish Republican Army and Sinn Fein, its political wing, sold out on its principles of republicanism by accepting a role in the Northern Irish administration.
True republicanism accepts pluralism, secularity and respects democracy.
There is no room for the few who espouse the path of violence. They are, as Martin McGuinness said, "Neanderthals".
